Trends in Adaptation Planning: Observations from a recent stock-taking review

This briefing note by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) outlines trends in climate change adaptation planning based on a standardized review of 15 African and Asian countries conducted for the Collaborative Adaptation Research Initiative in Africa and Asia (CARIAA). The review examines vulnerability profiles, national priorities, policy responses, and the nature of adaptation programming, highlighting a strong focus on agriculture but significant gaps in subnational planning and monitoring systems.

• Agriculture is the most consistent priority for adaptation across all 15 reviewed countries, reflecting its importance for food security, employment, and GDP. This is mirrored in adaptation programming, where approximately 40 per cent of identified projects focus on reducing vulnerability in the agricultural sector.
• There is a significant gap between identified national priorities and actual adaptation programming in the health, forestry, and fisheries sectors. Additionally, while some projects aim to improve gender equity, very few make addressing the differentiated gender impacts of climate change their primary objective.
• Adaptation planning and mainstreaming are significantly less advanced at the subnational level compared to the national level. Even in countries with a history of decentralization, subnational governments often lack the institutional capacity and budget to integrate climate considerations into development plans.
• Most reviewed countries lack systems to monitor and evaluate progress toward their adaptation goals, with only a few exceptions such as Bangladesh and Kenya. Such systems are considered essential for assessing investment effectiveness and identifying implementation gaps.
• Progress in adaptation action varies by country and is driven more by senior government leadership and the priorities of development assistance agencies than by a country's development status or level of climate risk exposure. For example, Botswana and Pakistan are less actively engaged in planning than Bangladesh, Ghana, and Uganda.
• The nature of adaptation projects has evolved from creating an enabling environment (research and policy formation) to a greater focus on implementing specific adaptation actions, as seen when comparing the CARIAA review to a previous Adaptation Partnership review.

APA

Parry, J.-E., & Terton, A. (2016). Trends in Adaptation Planning: Observations from a recent stock-taking review. International Institute for Sustainable Development. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/trends-adaptation-planning-observations-review.pdf

Chicago

Parry, Jo-Ellen, and Anika Terton. Trends in Adaptation Planning: Observations from a recent stock-taking review. International Institute for Sustainable Development, 2016. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/trends-adaptation-planning-observations-review.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Parry |first1=Jo-Ellen |last2=Terton |first2=Anika |title=Trends in Adaptation Planning: Observations from a recent stock-taking review |publisher=International Institute for Sustainable Development |date=November 2016 |url=https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/trends-adaptation-planning-observations-review.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{parry2016trends, author = {Parry, Jo-Ellen and Terton, Anika}, title = {{Trends in Adaptation Planning: Observations from a recent stock-taking review}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2016}, month = nov, url = {https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/trends-adaptation-planning-observations-review.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }